Glenn Kay II, the 2015 PWTeacher of the Year, is a self-described workaholic with a passion for welding that was first fueled by competition. Today the 37-year-old has instilled that same passion in his students.

The need to attract young people and to change negative perceptions certainly isn’t new, but after spending three days at The FABRICATOR®’s Leadership Summit in Orlando in late February, business consultants, community and technical college leaders and educators, and business owners shed some light on a well-publicized subject.

What does it take to make it in this ultracompetitive world where your work is heavily scrutinized, your time is not your own, and all the while you have a driver’s life in your hands? It requires incredible skill, yes, but there are other qualities you must possess and things you must accomplish. To be successful at one of racing’s top teams requires more than just welding ability. It requires an unparalleled dedication to the sport and to your craft. With that dedication, however, sometimes comes sacrifice.

Ron Covell’s 50-year career manually building autobodies for street rods, dragsters, and motorcycles is impressive, to say the least. But he doesn’t plan on hoarding all of the expertise he’s garnered over the years. His latest passion, of the last 20 years anyway, has been sharing information in his traveling workshops to current or up-and-coming autobody enthusiasts. It’s what he hopes is his longest and most impactful legacy.

A freak accident changed the life of a materials science professor at Texas Tech University. Not only does he appreciate the second chance at living, he also discovered a talent for giving discarded metal objects a second chance at living through metal sculpture.

Aquasol’s Fiback line of fiberglass backing tape, now available in high- and low-amperage options, gives welders a simple, safe, and reliable way to protect the back side of their weldments, even those that have a complex shape.

A maritime welding program, jointly created by Vigor Industrial and South Seattle College, is part of a greater initiative in Washington state-to return idled workers to gainful employment. The class doesn’t just help the underemployed, it also helps feed the resurging shipbuilding industry in the greater Seattle area.

A hard-nosed welding instructor at a medium-security prison in rural North Carolina gives his students discipline, confidence, a foot in the door to a trade, and the possibility for a new life upon release.

After trying her hand at various traditionally female-oriented careers, an Alabama woman, on a mission to provide the best life for herself and her newborn son, found courage to ask a shipyard for a job. That courage ultimately sparked a chain of events that led her to a fulfilling career.

The Fabricator Blog

Knowing and appreciating the craft of metal fabrication - by Tim HestonThe recipe for precision metal fabrication includes technology and craft. We hear a lot about the technology, but not so much about the craft.

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North America's leading magazine for the metal forming and fabricating industry, delivering news, technical articles, and case histories. Print subscriptions are free to qualified persons in North America involved in metal forming and fabricating.